48U 
PROFESSOK ^Y. N. HARTLEY AND MR. H. RAMAGE ON THE SPECTRA 
The Cleveland district of Yorkshire was chosen as the j^rincipal centre, owing to 
the interest taken in the work by Mr. Arthur Cooper, Managing Director of the 
North-Eastern Steel Company, and, in consequence of the courtesy and attention 
shown us, the North-Eastern Steel Works at Middleshi’ough were selected. 
It was found necessary at the outset to have three observers at work simultaneously^ 
Twenty-eight plates of photographs and copious notes were taken successfully, with 
photographed spectra to tlie number of about 140. 
According to previous experience it was found advisable to obtain photographs 
of the flame, sparks and fume at different stages of the “blow,” as well as jjhotographs 
of spectra. These were executed with a small Anschutz camera and Goertz lens, giving 
excellent pictures witli very rapid exposures. Some of the photogra^Dhs of spectra 
could not be surpassed with the dispersion of the instrument emjjloyed, but the work 
was not accomplished without some difHculty, which was occasioned by the large 
quantity of lime dust blown into the air. 
The results were quite different from those previously obtained ; for instance, many 
lines and bands quite new to the Bessemer flame have been recognised in addition to 
the spectra of the common alkali metals, iron, and manganese. 
Thus rul)idium, cfesium, calcium, copper, silver, and gallium have been identified. 
Very careful analyses of the crude metal, the ore, and lime, and also of the rail steel 
manufactured, were made for the purpose of separating some of these substances and 
identifying them subsequently by a spectrographic observation of the separated bases. 
The technical importance of being able to ascertain the amount of pho.sphorus in 
the metal during the process of “blowing” made us very desirous, if possible, of 
determining this. Notwithstanding that the work has been continuously in progress 
since 1895, and that every line and band in the different spectra photographed has 
been accounted for, our observations so far have failed to yield information or even 
any indication of when the blast should be stopped. The cause is not far to seek if 
we bear in mind that phosphorus existed in the pig-iron probably as a ferrous phos¬ 
phide, which, according to previous experiments, is not volatilised, and that at a high 
temperature in contact with a powerful base like lime and in presence of air it 
becomes a non-volatile calcium phosphate or a feri’ous phosphate. Nevertheless, 
some insight into the chemistry of the process of the “ blow ” has been obtained. 
Tlie greatest interest is attached to the knowledge it lias given us of flame spectra 
under variations of temperature and of the wide distribution of many of the rarer 
elements in minute proportions in ores and common minerals (‘ Boy. Soc. Proc.,’ 
vol. 60, pp. 35 and 393 ; ‘ Chem. Soc. Trans.,’ 1897, pp. 533 and 547). 
As we have had the honour of laying before the Boyal Society and also the 
Chemical Society accounts of some of our results, there is no necessity to make more 
than an incidental allusion to them. 
We have also sought for the spectra of metals in the open hearth steel furnace, 
and propose to very briefly record here our want of success in this direction. 
